editorNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94As NPR's Miami correspondent, Greg Allen reports on the diverse issues and developments tied to the Southeast. He covers everything from breaking news to economic and political stories to arts and human interest features. He moved into this role in 2006, after four years as NPR's Midwest correspondent. Allen was a key part of NPR's coverage of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, providing some of the first reports on the disaster. He was on the frontlines of NPR's coverage of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, arriving in New Orleans before the storm hit and filing on the chaos and flooding that hit the city as the levees broke. Allen's reporting played an important role in NPR's coverage of the aftermath and the rebuilding of New Orleans, as well as in coverage of the BP oil spill which brought new hardships to the Gulf coast. As NPR's only correspondent in Florida, Allen covered the dizzying boom and bust of the state's real estate market, the state's important role in the 2008 presidentialNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Greg AllenSat, 10 Dec 2016 02:53:56 +0000Greg Allenhttp://kccu.org
Greg AllenEvery December, Miami's annual Art Basel fair draws artists, dealers and buyers from around the world. This year, dozens of artists could be found not in galleries or at cocktail parties, but painting at an elementary school. Spanish painter Marina Capdevila was one of more than 30 artists working at Eneida Hartner Elementary School in Miami's Wynwood neighborhood. Her cartoon-style painting of elderly women doing water aerobics is intended, she says, to get the kids to smile. "Always I'm trying to, when I do murals, to bring a little of my sense of humor to make people laugh," she says. Over the last decade, Miami's Wynwood neighborhood has been revitalized by art. Galleries, restaurants and artists' studios have moved in. Walls throughout the area are now covered in murals and Wynwood has become a tourist destination. Now, Eneida Hartner Elementary is getting in on the action. By the end of last week, dozens of artists in Miami for Art Basel had contributed work decorating the wallsArt That Transformed A Miami Neighborhood Now Making Its Schools Coolhttp://kccu.org/post/art-transformed-miami-neighborhood-now-making-its-schools-cool
107409 as http://kccu.orgWed, 07 Dec 2016 08:29:00 +0000Art That Transformed A Miami Neighborhood Now Making Its Schools CoolGreg AllenIn Florida, oranges are so important that they're on the state's license plates. But after 11 years of fighting a debilitating disease, Florida's citrus industry is in a sad state. The disease, called citrus greening , is caused by a bacterium that constricts a tree's vascular system, shriveling fruit and eventually killing the tree. The bacterium is spread by a tiny insect called a psyllid. Florida's signature orange crop is now less than a third of what it was 20 years ago because of this disease. And the U.S. Department of Agriculture says this year's orange crop is expected to be the smallest in more than 50 years. But, at Florida's Citrus Research and Education Center , researchers are now optimistic they'll win the battle to save Florida oranges, thanks in part to recent advances in developing tougher varieties of citrus. For nearly a century, orange and grapefruit growers have planted varieties developed at the Center at Lake Alfred in central Florida. It's a 600 acre campusAfter A Sour Decade, Florida Citrus May Be Near A Comebackhttp://kccu.org/post/after-sour-decade-florida-citrus-may-be-near-comeback
107269 as http://kccu.orgSun, 04 Dec 2016 10:50:00 +0000After A Sour Decade, Florida Citrus May Be Near A ComebackGreg AllenCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit LAKSHMI SINGH, HOST: The news of Fidel Castro's death sparked crowds and spontaneous celebrations in Miami early this morning that continued throughout the day. Even though Fidel Castro's passing may have little immediate effect in terms of returning rights and freedom to Cubans on the island, Cuban-Americans in Miami say they're hopeful. NPR's Greg Allen reports. GREG ALLEN, BYLINE: Outside La Carreta restaurant in Miami's Westchester neighborhood, the crowd started gathering around midnight. By the time Margarita Barca got there at 2 a.m., hundreds of people were cheering passing cars, banging pots and pans and waving Cuban and American flags. When she came back today, the party was still going on. MARGARITA BARCA: A lot of people screaming and being happy. And we're not happy because a person died. It's because of what it represents to all of us. So we are celebrating freedom for our parents, our grandparents that were not able to see thisOn The Death Of Fidel Castro: The View From Miamihttp://kccu.org/post/death-fidel-castro-view-miami
106913 as http://kccu.orgSat, 26 Nov 2016 22:13:00 +0000On The Death Of Fidel Castro: The View From MiamiGreg AllenSome congressional Republicans won their districts this year by distancing themselves from Donald Trump. So when the new Congress convenes in January, they'll have to figure out how to work with a president they didn't support. Miami Rep. Carlos Curbelo is in that group. He's a Republican who won big in a district that also went for Hillary Clinton. Now he faces some challenges in balancing the interests of his constituents while working with a Trump administration. Curbelo was elected to Congress two years ago. His district includes part of Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys, and he won re-election by a double-digit margin. His win came despite significant headwinds. Redistricting a year ago added more Democratic voters. And Curbelo was struggling to overcome not just his Democratic opponent, but also a candidate at the top of the ticket who was decidedly unpopular in this largely Hispanic district — Donald Trump. "It was a very ugly campaign," Curbelo says. "I heard some of theAfter Criticizing Trump, Miami GOP Congressman Prepares To Work With Himhttp://kccu.org/post/after-criticizing-trump-miami-gop-congressman-prepares-work-him
106883 as http://kccu.orgFri, 25 Nov 2016 23:29:00 +0000After Criticizing Trump, Miami GOP Congressman Prepares To Work With HimGreg AllenIn the Florida Keys on Election Day, along with the presidential race, one of the most controversial items on the ballot dealt with Zika. In a nonbinding vote countywide, residents in the Florida Keys approved a measure allowing a British company to begin a trial release of genetically modified mosquitoes. Armed with that approval, local officials voted Saturday to try out what they hope will be a new tool in the fight against Zika. For months now, state and local authorities in Florida have struggled to control the spread of Zika. But although there have been more than 200 cases of locally transmitted Zika statewide, none have been reported in the Keys. And that's one reason why residents like Megan Hall oppose the new technology. At a meeting of the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District board in Marathon on Saturday, Hall made a personal appeal to the board. "I am going to ask you, beg you, plead with you," she said, "not to go forward with this." For five years now, the districtFlorida Keys Approves Trial Of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes To Fight Zikahttp://kccu.org/post/florida-keys-approves-trial-genetically-modified-mosquitoes-fight-zika
106618 as http://kccu.orgSun, 20 Nov 2016 14:34:00 +0000Florida Keys Approves Trial Of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes To Fight ZikaGreg AllenSouth Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley said Tuesday the fact that Republicans now control the White House, Congress and so many governors' mansions has left her "giddy." Haley and the rest of the Republican Governors Association are meeting this week in Orlando, Fla., to discuss their party's victories last week and how they hope to work with President-elect Donald Trump. On election night, Republicans picked up three states now governed by Democrats: Missouri, New Hampshire and Vermont. North Carolina's governor's race is still being contested. But even if Democrat Roy Cooper's lead holds and he defeats incumbent Pat McCrory, the GOP will hold governorships in 33 states, the most in nearly a century . That's lent almost a party atmosphere to the conference proceedings, even for governors who had expressed reservations about Trump, like Haley and New Mexico's Susannah Martinez. During the campaign, Martinez said Trump's "offensive rhetoric" raised questions about his fitness to be president.Republican Governors Thrilled With Increased Influence In Washingtonhttp://kccu.org/post/republican-governors-thrilled-increased-inflluence-washington
106389 as http://kccu.orgWed, 16 Nov 2016 02:46:00 +0000Republican Governors Thrilled With Increased Influence In WashingtonGreg AllenBeaches in the Southeastern U.S. took a tremendous beating last month from Hurricane Matthew. The U.S. Geological Survey has found that the storm washed over and damaged 15 percent of sand dunes on Florida's Atlantic Coast, 30 percent along Georgia's coastline and 42 percent of the dunes on South Carolina beaches. In Florida, few coastal areas were hit harder by the hurricane than the 18 miles of dunes and beaches in Flagler County. County Administrator Craig Coffey says, "What Matthew did to us essentially [was] eat about 30 feet of coastline all the way along the county, and created a bunch of breaches through that dune system." Matthew also washed out a big chunk of coastal highway A1A in Flagler Beach. The state and county are working to have that road repaired and open within 45 days. Fixing that highway is important, Coffey says. But he is equally worried about damage to the county's beaches and dunes, which provide the community with important protection from tides, wave actionHurricane Matthew Took A Big Bite Out Of Southeastern States' Beacheshttp://kccu.org/post/hurricane-matthew-took-big-bite-out-southeastern-states-beaches
105645 as http://kccu.orgTue, 01 Nov 2016 23:42:00 +0000Hurricane Matthew Took A Big Bite Out Of Southeastern States' BeachesGreg AllenPublic health authorities and infectious disease specialists now say we may not be able to rid the U.S. of the Zika virus. Despite months of intense work — including house to house inspections and aggressive mosquito control — federal, state and local officials have not been able to stop the spread of Zika in Miami. In Miami on Tuesday, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Tom Frieden, delivered what he called the "plain truth" about Zika and the mosquitoes that carry it. "Zika and other diseases spread by Aedes aegypti," he said, "are really not controllable with current technologies." The CDC has upgraded its Zika-related health advisory for Florida . The agency says it now believes there's a risk of local transmission in all of Miami-Dade County. It's advising pregnant women to avoid areas in the county where local transmission is taking place and to consider postponing travel to all parts of the county. Pregnant women are considered most at risk for Zika,Zika May Be In The U.S. To Stayhttp://kccu.org/post/zika-may-be-us-stay
105322 as http://kccu.orgWed, 26 Oct 2016 19:18:00 +0000Zika May Be In The U.S. To StayGreg AllenFlorida officials say there's a new area in Miami where Zika has been transmitted locally. Health officials have identified two women and three men who appear to have contracted Zika within an area that includes Miami's Little Haiti neighborhood. Officials say three live in the area; two others work there or have visited. Florida's Department of Health says there are now two areas in Miami where Zika is being transmitted. The other is Miami Beach, where authorities have aggressively worked to control mosquitoes since August. Those efforts included aerial spraying with a controversial insecticide, Naled. Last month, the zone of local Zika transmission in Miami Beach was tripled in size after new cases were identified. Mosquito control efforts were successful in eliminating local Zika transmission in the first area in Miami where mosquitoes were found to be carrying the virus. That neighborhood, Wynwood, is just blocks away from the new one-square-mile area. South Florida is the onlyZika Virus Transmission Found In A Second Area Of Miamihttp://kccu.org/post/zika-virus-transmission-found-second-area-miami
104691 as http://kccu.orgFri, 14 Oct 2016 00:44:00 +0000Zika Virus Transmission Found In A Second Area Of MiamiGreg AllenAs part of an election-year project called A Nation Engaged , NPR has been asking people this presidential election year what it means to be an American. Jan Mapou has owned a Haitian bookstore in Miami for 25 years. It's on 2 nd Ave. in Little Haiti, a lively business district of pastel colored shops with restaurants, a variety store, barbershop and corner markets. "Anything about the history of Haiti you'll find in here, about religion, about poetry, novels, I got it," he says of his shop. Mapou, 74, moved to the U.S. from Haiti in 1969 and became a U.S. citizen 1974. For decades, he has been an advocate in Miami for the Creole language and the Haitian people. Mapou hosts a weekly radio program in Creole on member station WLRN. It's presented by the school district and called Radyo Lekol , in English, "school radio." He plays music and discusses Haitian culture. Mapou doesn't talk much about politics on his show, but he votes in every U.S. election and is a community leader. And heTo Be An American, Says This Haitian-American, Means You Have A Voicehttp://kccu.org/post/be-american-says-haitian-american-means-you-have-voice
104542 as http://kccu.orgTue, 11 Oct 2016 20:48:00 +0000To Be An American, Says This Haitian-American, Means You Have A VoiceGreg AllenCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Al Gore Joins Hillary Clinton On Campaign Trail In Floridahttp://kccu.org/post/al-gore-joins-hillary-clinton-campaign-trail-florida
104544 as http://kccu.orgTue, 11 Oct 2016 20:31:00 +0000Al Gore Joins Hillary Clinton On Campaign Trail In FloridaGreg AllenCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit NPR .Florida Residents Prepare For Arrival Of Hurricane Matthewhttp://kccu.org/post/florida-residents-prepare-arrival-hurricane-matthew
104308 as http://kccu.orgThu, 06 Oct 2016 20:34:00 +0000Florida Residents Prepare For Arrival Of Hurricane MatthewGreg AllenCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST: A curfew in Charlotte, N.C., ended at 6 this morning but will resume again tonight at midnight. The city has been torn by protests over the death of an African-American man, Keith Scott, shot by the police on Tuesday. Last night's march was more peaceful than the night before when protesters smashed the windows of downtown businesses. And another man was shot and later died. NPR's Greg Allen joins us from Charlotte. And, Greg, there were no injuries to police or protesters last night, I gather, which is good, but there was a skirmish when protesters briefly shut down an interstate. GREG ALLEN, BYLINE: That's right, Renee. Interstate 277 runs through downtown Charlotte. Protesters got out onto the highway at one point. Police in riot gear were there and reacted very quickly. They used tear gas or some other chemical agents to clear them from the area. In all, it was a much more peaceful crowd than the previous night. We hadProtests In Charlotte, N.C., Continue For A Third Nighthttp://kccu.org/post/protests-charlotte-nc-continue-third-night
103701 as http://kccu.orgFri, 23 Sep 2016 11:09:00 +0000Protests In Charlotte, N.C., Continue For A Third NightGreg AllenCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Miami Begins Using New Mosquito Trap In Zika Control Effortshttp://kccu.org/post/miami-begins-using-new-mosquito-trap-zika-control-efforts
103195 as http://kccu.orgTue, 13 Sep 2016 20:30:00 +0000Miami Begins Using New Mosquito Trap In Zika Control EffortsGreg AllenCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Miami Beach Residents Criticize Pesticide Spraying In Zika Control Effortshttp://kccu.org/post/miami-beach-residents-criticize-pesticide-spraying-zika-control-efforts
102880 as http://kccu.orgWed, 07 Sep 2016 20:39:00 +0000Miami Beach Residents Criticize Pesticide Spraying In Zika Control EffortsGreg AllenCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Florida Reports First Local Mosquitoes With Zika; Bromeliads Removedhttp://kccu.org/post/florida-reports-first-local-mosquitoes-zika-bromeliads-removed
102632 as http://kccu.orgFri, 02 Sep 2016 09:07:00 +0000Florida Reports First Local Mosquitoes With Zika; Bromeliads RemovedGreg AllenIn Little Haiti, Liberty City, and a number of other neighborhoods in Miami, canvassers are now walking door to door to spread the word about the risks of Zika, one household at a time — hoping to reach 25, 000 people the next six weeks. In some neighborhoods, these workers aren't sponsored by federal or state health agencies, but by Planned Parenthood. Lillian Tamayo , the CEO of Planned Parenthood of South, East and North Florida, told NPR that Miami-Dade County has the state's largest population of people without health coverage, which leaves these residents particularly vulnerable to Zika. "More than one-third of Florida does not have an OB-GYN," she said. "It also is among the worst states in the country for women's health and women's well-being. And it has staggering infection rates for sexually transmitted diseases. And now we have Zika." Jean Baptiste is one of the Miami residents Tamayo is eager to reach. Baptiste lives in an apartment above a convenience store in thePlanned Parenthood Joins Campaign To Rid Miami Neighborhoods Of Zikahttp://kccu.org/post/planned-parenthood-joins-campaign-rid-miami-neighborhoods-zika
102254 as http://kccu.orgFri, 26 Aug 2016 09:04:00 +0000Planned Parenthood Joins Campaign To Rid Miami Neighborhoods Of ZikaGreg AllenCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Florida's Zika Cases Weigh On Businesses, State And Local Officialshttp://kccu.org/post/floridas-zika-cases-weigh-businesses-state-and-local-officials
102087 as http://kccu.orgTue, 23 Aug 2016 10:16:00 +0000Florida's Zika Cases Weigh On Businesses, State And Local OfficialsGreg AllenStudents returned to school on Monday in Miami amid a new concern: the threat of Zika. Nine schools in Miami-Dade County are in or near a zone where nearly a month ago health officials confirmed that mosquitoes are spreading the virus. One of them, Jose de Diego Middle School, is in Miami's Wynwood neighborhood, an area known for its restaurants, cafes and street art. It's also home to middle-class and low-income families, many newly arrived from Venezuela, Cuba and Haiti. Over the weekend, school officials distributed cans of mosquito repellent to parents and made long-sleeved shirts and pants available to students. For the past month, the county has conducted intensive spraying and outreach. While health officials are optimistic about their efforts to control mosquitoes in this neighborhood, on Friday they said that Zika has now spread to another neighborhood several miles away, on Miami Beach. The start of the school year is always hectic. The principal of Jose de Diego MiddleMiami Schools Take Steps To Protect Returning Students From Zikahttp://kccu.org/post/miami-schools-take-steps-protect-returning-students-zika
102065 as http://kccu.orgMon, 22 Aug 2016 22:17:00 +0000Miami Schools Take Steps To Protect Returning Students From ZikaGreg AllenCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Miami Schools Take Steps To Protect Students From Zikahttp://kccu.org/post/miami-schools-take-steps-protect-students-zika
102047 as http://kccu.orgMon, 22 Aug 2016 20:23:00 +0000Miami Schools Take Steps To Protect Students From Zika